Alvarion adds Wi-Fi to WiMAX product line

WiMAX set-top box maker Alvarion Ltd. added Wi-Fi functionality to its BreezeMAX product line to support carrier interest in offering bandwidth-intensive mobile applications through broadband connectivity powered by both Wi-Fi and WiMAX network access technologies.
The company said its BreezeMAX W12 and BreezeACCESS W12 provide carriers with a converged network with Wi-Fi portability for IEEE 802.11b/g devices along with WiMAX quality-of-service. Each WI2 solution consists of an outdoor Wi-Fi access point with integrated power module capable of connecting to various commercial power sources, as well as either a BreezeMAX or BreezeACCESS VL unit for backhaul and network management software. In addition, the company pointed out that its new offering enables service providers deploying WiMAX networks the capability to extend their BreezeMAX networks in 2.3, 2.5 or 3 GHz spectrum bands and BreezeACCESS VL networks in 5 GHz with Wi-Fi hot spot coverage.
“Wi-Fi supported by WiMAX QoS answers the many demands of both public and private sector including public broadband access, traffic management, video surveillance, connecting city offices, homeland security, as well as growing number of personal broadband applications,” said Rudy Leser, Alvarion’s corporate vice president of strategy and marketing. “And with both WI2 products, existing broadband wireless operators can now leverage their current infrastructure to capture consumer and business/government segments for bandwidth-intensive applications in a mobile environment. This gives them an early market advantage towards mobile broadband services and the offering of personal broadband.”